A warm-up ahead of World T-20

No Sehwag, Zaheer for India

Rex Clementine

reporting from Pallekele

The last time a T-20 encounter was played here at Pallekele (exactly a year ago), the atmosphere was electric, with hundreds of fans waiting outside the venue in disappointment after the tickets were sold out. To top it all, Sri Lanka went onto record a thrilling eight run win against Michael Clarke’s side. Although a few hundred tickets are still available for today’s T-20 International against India, they are expected to be sold out well ahead of the game despite today being a working day.

A 7 O’clock start indeed helps to bring the crowd in.

Sri Lanka are under pressure as well after suffering a 4-1 defeat in the ODI series that enabled India to climb up to the number two rank in ODI cricket.

Captain Mahela Jayawardene, who didn’t play in the last ODI, will be back in the side and reiterated the need to minimize mistakes his side has been committing during the ODI series.

It’s also the last T-20 game for both teams ahead of the World T-20 that gets underway in Sri Lanka, later this year.

"This game is significant in the sense that we have to identify a few roles for a few players," Jayawardene told journalists at the team hotel, yesterday. "We played a few different combinations in the two T-20s against Pakistan. We have a 75 percent or so idea about our squad for the World T-20, but still four or five places are available. We have the SLPL too coming up, and we will be able to arrive at a final decision after that," he added.

"In T-20, anything can happen and you can’t plan too many things. You have to react on the field and we will try and execute the tactics," Jayawardene further said.

Fast bowler Shaminda Eranga, who had an impressive debut against Australia last year, but has been sidelined close to a year due to injury, has been brought into the squad and is expected to share the new ball with Lasith Malinga today.

So far, there have been four T-20 Internationals between Sri Lanka and India with both teams winning two games each.

Indian Pacie Zaheer Khan and opener Virender Sehwag have returned home and will not be available for today’s game.

Sri Lanka (Probable XI): Tillekeratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardene (Captain), Lahiru Thirimanne, Dinesh Chandimal (Wicketkeeper), Angelo Mathews, Chamara Kapugedara, Jeevan Mendis, Thisara Perera, Lasith Malinga, Sachithra Senanayake and Shaminda Eranga.

India (Probable XI): Ajinkya Rahane, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, M. S. Dhoni (Captain and Wicketkeeper), Manoj Tiwary, Suresh Raina, Irfan Pathan, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ashok Dinda, Rohit Sharma, and Umesh Yadav.

Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena and T. H. Wijewardene (SL)

Third Umpire: Ruchira Palliyaguru (SL)

Match Referee: Chris Broad (Eng)

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